EP010 Trailblazers, Mentors and Social Change Leaders

I’d like to reflect on what it takes to be a trailblazer, a mentor or a social change leader. For 7 years, I’ve followed the work of individuals whose courage, wisdom and leadership have inspired me. And here are my reflections of these people.&nbsp; They work at it. They persevere.

Duration: 5 Minutes

Hello, welcome to my podcast. My name is Dee and I am The Introverted Advocate. The mission of my podcast is simply this – to create a kinder, more compassionate world through advocacy. I began advocating back in 2014 and I have a few stories I’d like to share. Advocating is like an adventure and it can be done from the comfort of your keyboard at home, or it could be an adventure of meeting new people, learning new skills, or finding out that the world is full of caring individuals who are ready to lend a hand or their heart when they see a need. I invite you to look around in your world and see who might need a little support and kindness. It could be one individual, it could be a group or a cause, it could be a community. Are you ready? All right, let’s get to it.

So, I’d like to reflect on what it takes to be a trailblazer, a mentor or a social change leader.

For 7 years, I’ve followed the work of individuals whose courage, wisdom and leadership have inspired me. And here are my reflections of these people.

They work at it. They persevere. They walk the talk — Every Dang Day.

These are individuals with their own backstories, their own struggles, and their own hard-earned wisdom.

These folks listened to their hearts. Through hard work, they found their respective calling in life. Now, this is not for the faint of heart, as the path is often treacherous with uncertainty and difficulties. But they prevailed in their discovery.

They have forged a path of meaning and purpose – and it’s usually in a very public way – where we may view and respect their efforts. They lead the way when we show up to learn. They offer encouragement when we ask for guidance. They, in short, are our guiding light.

Trailblazers, mentors and social change leaders come from all walks of life, all age groups, all nationalities. Often, they are consumed with their work, yet they will listen to our questions when we show we are serious in our quest to learn and grow and join the advocacy communities.

That’s our responsibility. We must be serious about learning before we impose on these leaders. Their lives are dedicated to their purpose; we must show we are dedicated to ours.

Right now, today, there are at least seven (7) individuals who have helped me in the last couple of years. These folks are kind and wise and generous. I know they have suffered their own human experiences – they talk about these challenges. This makes them trustworthy to me. This makes them real. Every one of these folks has expressed their emotions about difficult topics. And yet they march on with their purpose…and this shows me that I might be able to march on with my purpose, as well.

So, in the last years, I’ve watched these folks. I’ve asked each of them specific questions. And I’ve received answers from every one of them.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to them. Their responses and encouragement and wisdom have shored up my courage when I felt scared. Their kindness gave me a boost when I was feeling down.

The point of my story is this: If you want to pursue your path, you purpose, your greater good… just look to the folks who are already living and working and advocating in that specific area.

You will find at least one person whose experiences will light you up. Find your Trailblazer.

Read their books, blogs and articles. Listen to their presentations on YouTube. Go see them present speeches or classes if they are local in your area. And then take what you learn and forge your own path to meaning and purpose.

Use what you see, hear and experience to create your own vision for your life. Let this learning period simmer and percolate until Your Spark is Born. Your spark will jolt you with enthusiasm. Your spark will be undeniable once it is created.

So, in the meantime, look around and see the Trailblazers, Mentors and Social Change Leaders in your world. And just remember this: They were once in your shoes. They were seeking the same things you seek. And they did it! They found their paths, just as you can if you are serious.

So that’s it for today. Thanks for tuning in to my podcast, where Kindness is the Theme and Advocacy in the Action.